The World Travel & Tourism Council has expressed its great disappointment after the UK government decided to update is quarantine list and take off Portugal and Hungary off the exception list. Thousands of British holidaymakers, as well as the Travel & Tourism sector might be affected as these countries are added to the quarantine list.
“Taking Portugal and Hungary off the exception list has left families and in a race against time to find flights and get home to avoid going into 14-days of isolation or cancel their already made plans,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO. “This depressingly familiar situation is a major body blow to consumer confidence to travel.”
Madeira and the Azores continue to be excluded from the quarantine list under the government’s new ‘island policy’. A large number of holidaymakers will be, however, affected by this change, as well as the Travel & Tourism sector, which has seen the 2020 summer holiday go to its lowest levels.
“All of this chaos could be avoided if only the government took decisive action to ditch disruptive quarantines in favour of a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective airport test and trace programme,” said Guevara. “Until then, the disruption will continue. The economic recovery will become ever harder to restart.”
